The prime suspect arrested Wednesday afternoon after he is alleged to have driven a car into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb, injuring six, has been identified — and remains in hospital after being shot by police.

Now named as 36-year-old Algerian migrant Hamou Bachir, French media reports the would-be killer who drove a rented BMW car into the soldiers as they stepped out of their barracks for a morning patrol was hit and wounded by five bullets during the course of his arrest on a motorway near Calais.

France - Police - Source - Bachir - Hospital

Ouest France reports a police source who said Bachir was not responsive and remains in hospital after having been seriously wounded in the hail of police gunfire. Consequently, no interrogations of the suspect have yet started.

One officer is understood to have been caught in the crossfire.

Paper - Attacker - State - Security - Risk

The paper also reports that whilst the attacker was not known to the state as a security risk, he was due to be deported to Algeria. Police have searched the suspect’s home in Yvelines, western Paris, and are following an investigation for ‘attempted murder of persons holding public authority in connection to a terrorist enterprise’.

The attempt to kill soldiers by driving the high powered BMW saloon into their patrol is just the latest attack against members...